Chapter Nineteen: The Territory Expansion Plan

After dinner, the residents gathered in the villa’s courtyard to chat leisurely, while Jiang Qiyu wandered alone around the villa. She held a pen and paper in her hands, stopping occasionally to jot down notes or sketch, her brow furrowed as if contemplating something significant. The villa’s grounds were vast; beyond the main building lay a garden, a swimming pool, and a small grove of trees. Before the apocalypse, this must have been an affluent neighborhood, with pleasant scenery and an elegant environment. But now, the pool was filled with stagnant, filthy water; most of the flowers and plants in the garden had withered, leaving only a few resilient trees still striving to grow.

Jiang Qiyu’s gaze swept over the surroundings as her mind began calculating. Though the villa’s walls were tall, they could not guarantee absolute safety against the increasingly powerful zombies. She felt it necessary to further reinforce the defenses.

For instance, she could dig a deep moat outside the walls, at least five meters wide, piling the excavated earth at the base of the walls to strengthen them. Then, along the inner edge of the moat, she could densely plant thorny bushes—such as brambles and roses—to form an impenetrable natural barrier.

Moreover, the vegetables and poultry couldn’t continue to be raised inside the villa. Space was limited, and any unforeseen incident could easily cause widespread damage. She needed to find a way to establish a new area outside for planting and breeding, ensuring a steady food supply for the territory’s residents.

Jiang Qiyu identified a patch of vacant land not far from the villa—once a wild grassland overrun with weeds, requiring thorough clearing.

She planned to first remove all the weeds and stones, then deeply till the soil, fertilize it, and improve its quality. Considering the harsh post-apocalyptic environment, she resolved to adopt vertical farming techniques to maximize space and boost yield.

She would build staggered shelves to grow climbing vegetables like cucumbers, loofah, and beans. On the ground, she’d plant leafy greens such as Chinese cabbage, spinach, and lettuce. To ensure proper growth, an automated irrigation system would be installed to water the plants regularly and in measured amounts.

Around the planting area, a wire fence would be erected and covered with a layer of transparent plastic film to create a simple greenhouse. This would maintain optimal growing temperatures for the vegetables and effectively ward off external disturbances.

In one corner of the planting zone, a small compost pit would be constructed to turn household waste and plant residues into organic fertilizer, solving waste disposal problems while nourishing the crops.

The breeding area also needed expansion, as meat was essential for survival in this world.

The breeding grounds could be set up next to the planting area for easier management and to utilize agricultural waste as feed.

The wire mesh scavenged from the supermarket was enough to enclose a sufficiently large area for breeding. Given the complex environment and potential emergencies, the fence needed to be sturdy—double-layered wire mesh filled with stones and soil between layers to thicken and stabilize the barrier.

Inside, the area would be divided into zones for poultry, livestock, and aquaculture. The poultry zone would free-range chickens, ducks, and geese, with pasture grown from scavenged seeds on open ground to feed them.

The livestock zone would raise pigs, cattle, and sheep—larger animals needing more space. Their feed would consume a lot of resources, so besides pasture, agricultural waste like vegetable leaves, fruit peels, and expired supermarket food would be mixed to feed them.

The aquaculture zone would farm fish, shrimp, and crabs. A small river near the villa could be cleaned and channeled to fill the breeding ponds, enriching the variety and quantity of food.

A small slaughterhouse would be built in one corner of the breeding area to process livestock.

As Jiang Qiyu walked, she marked the functions of each zone on her map. She noticed several nearby villas were empty. Why not seize the opportunity to occupy more villas and expand her territory? This would not only accommodate more residents but also raise the territory’s level and defenses.

Expanding the territory was relatively easy—just claim more villas. She had already surveyed three nearby villas; incorporating them into her domain would effectively enlarge her land.

Increasing the number of residents required more caution. Jiang Qiyu did not intend to accept survivors blindly; she needed to select those truly capable, contributive, and loyal.

At the same time, she aimed to strengthen management and training for existing residents, enhancing their survival skills and combat capabilities so they could become the backbone of the territory.

Upgrading defenses and raising the territory’s status demanded substantial resources and manpower. One two-story villa, though small, boasted a compact layout and complete functions. Its front yard had a small garden suitable for growing flowers and medicinal herbs—beautifying the environment while providing herbal remedies. The backyard had an empty lot suitable for building a small warehouse to store daily supplies.

Another villa could be converted into a medical center. In the apocalypse, medical resources were scarce, and a fully equipped medical center was vital for the residents.

If this plan were implemented step by step, the coastal base would surely grow stronger.

Lost in thought, Jiang Qiyu was interrupted by a faint meow. Following the sound, she saw a Persian cat crouched outside the villa fence, its fur pure white, with eyes strikingly reminiscent of a certain man’s—an unusual pale gold.

Puzzled, Jiang Qiyu wondered when such a cat had appeared nearby. She glanced up—and for a moment, nearly gasped in surprise.

Outside the fence stood a youth, tall and slender like a poplar tree, casting a long shadow in the moonlight. His features were clear and handsome, lips lightly pressed; his limbs, severed that afternoon, were now intact.

“You… how did you get out?” Jiang Qiyu pointed at Lu Yao. “Your hands and feet…”

“I don’t know either.” Lu Yao blinked innocently. “I just woke up here, and this cat—it’s been following me.”